Chapter 440

The gas station clerk pages languidly through the magazine he’s read a hundred times already this month, bored as hell. He sighs, lifting his head to look around the tiny room of this little desert outpost – the room that serves not only as a convenience store, but also a bar, and a tiny casino. There are also rooms upstairs for rent – not that anyone stays more than a day.

“Boring as hell today,” he murmurs, returning his eyes to the page. “But it’s a living.”

A rumble outside makes the clerk stand up and peer out the window behind him at the waste, wondering who would come in this close to sunset. There are some locals who make a living out here, and some adventurer types who want to see the sights in their camper vans and motorcycles, but he wasn’t expecting anyone to return today…

He frowns as he watches a single ATV approach, kicking up dust behind it towards the setting sun. The clerk’s eyes go wide as the ATV pulls close enough for him to see the seriously gigantic guy driving it – clearly a wolf, and an Alpha at that.

But seated on the ATV front of him –

The clerk’s lips part in surprise as the little blonde haired woman hops off the ATV, laughing as she turns to look up at her huge scarred protector, her lovely rose-gold hair flowing all around her as she smiles and takes his hand. The Alpha likewise stands, towering over the girl, tugging her towards the shop.

The clerk just continues to stare as the pair come into the gas station, the bell ringing above the door because…

Well, it’s like something out of a damn movie.

The scariest damn wolf he’s ever seen walking into his store – his store, out in the middle of nowhere – with…with a damn princess on his arm.

“Hi!” the girl says, smiling a wide dazzling smile as she strides confidently up to the counter. “I’m Princess –“

“Oh, I know who you are,” the clerk murmurs, taking a step back to get a better look both at the beautiful girl and the man standing behind her, who growls a soft warning. And as much as the clerk’s eyes want to stay on the angel before him, his instincts won’t let him take his sight away from the snarling, ragged Alpha – because is that – is that…blood all down his front? The clerk goes pale and still.

“Oh, great!” Ariel Sinclair says, laughing and leaning against the counter, perfectly casual. “I guess my reputation precedes me.” She grins and glances at the magazines in the rack next to the checkout, several of which read Kidnapped Princess! The clerk blushes when he realizes that he’s also carrying several more scandalous titles, the covers of which declare her a traitor to her nation and show pictures of her in an Atalaxian crown, beaming at their damned prince.

“Phone,” the Alpha snarls, drawing the clerk’s eyes back to him. “Now.”

“Easy, Jacks,” the Princess says, putting a soft hand on his arm as she laughs and looks up at him. The clerk just stares between them, baffled and terrified and charmed all at once. He nearly jumps when the Princess turns that stunning gaze back on him. “But yes, um. Would you mind? If we made a call?” She points at the phone on the counter behind him. “Our phone ran out of battery.”

“Um, sure,” the clerk says, stumbling into action immediately and grabbing for the old lined telephone, nearly ripping it off the wall as he hurries to place it on the table before her. “Anything…anything you need.”

“Thank you” Ariel says, beaming at him as she picks up the receiver and begins to dial a number.

The clerk’s eyes move back to the Alpha when he hears, almost absurdly, the big man’s stomach turn over in a growl. The Alpha stares for a moment at several individually wrapped pieces of meat jerky on the counter, popular with travelers and truckers. Then he snatches them all up into one fist. “I’m going to eat these,” he says, glaring at the clerk, almost challenging him to say he can’t.

The clerk eagerly nods, desperate to do…whatever the hell this dangerous man wants.

“We’ll pay for that later,” the Princess hisses to the clerk in a whisper, covering the receiver with one hand, “sorry, we don’t have any money right now. But we’re good for it! Oh, Jacks, get me one of those caramel ones -” She points eagerly at the candy selection.

The Alpha nods, grabs two, and hands them to the girl before beginning to unwrap the meat and eat it at a rather incredible pace. The clerk just…watches. Fascinated.

“Oh, hey!” the Princess says into the phone after a few moments, balancing it against her shoulder as she unwraps a candy bar with both hands. A huge smile breaks out on her face. “Hey, dad! It’s me!”

The clerk’s eyes go wide. Is…is the King seriously on the phone right now!?

“Yeah, I’m fine! I’m perfectly fine, can’t wait to get home!” the Princess says, her eyes watering with tears even as she laughs in delight. “I’m with Jacks. We’re…um, actually…wait one second.”

Then, still smiling, the girl takes the receiver in one hand and offers it out to the clerk, giving him again that pretty, obliging smile. “Do you mind telling my dad where we are so he can come and get us? It would be a big help.”

Slowly, the clerk reaches out to take the phone and raise it to his ear. “Your…your highness?”

“Now,” the voice growls on the other end of the line, making the clerk jump nearly out of his boots. “Tell me where my daughter is. Right. Now.”

I squeal with joy as the door to the helicopter finally, finally unlocks and I can throw it open.

“Ari,” Jackson growls behind me, frustrated as I stumble out of the aircraft. “Please be careful –“

But I ignore him, regaining my feet and dashing across the rooftop, hurling myself into my dad’s waiting arms. I laugh, delighted, as my dad wraps me up tight, pressing my cheek to his chest, barely noticing the tears that streak down my face.

My dad groans in relief, like he hasn’t even let himself even consider relaxing for a moment until I was here again, safe and happy, under his protection.

“Ariel, my baby girl,” dad murmurs, bending to tuck me in close and press his face to my hair. “My sweet girl, god damn it, I was so sacred…”

“I’m okay,” I say, laughing and sniffing and nodding all at once. “I’m fine, dad – it’s all all right –“

I try to tug away, wanting to look up into his face, but dad just snarls and holds me close for a few moments more.

“Oh, Dominic,” my mom says, her voice thick with tears. “Let her go – you’re being selfish. She’s my daughter too!”

Dad grumbles about it but does as mom bids, loosening his arms and pressing a kiss to my hair and then to my cheek before passing me over to my mother. My mom gives a terrible little cry as we throw ourselves at each other, joy and agony mixed in our voices. We both blubber for a bit, crying and hugging and telling each other how much we missed each other and how worried we were.

Behind me, just passively, my ears attune to my father greeting my mate – the sound of their hands clasping, and then Jackson being pulled into a hug, and then some murmured words of greeting and gratitude. I smile even as I tuck my head against my mom’s shoulder, relishing the feel of her in my arms and then her arms around me.

“Little baby trouble,” mom coos, stroking my back and then my hair. “You smell different, you know.”

I pull back a little, eagerly biting my lip, and mom pushes my long hair back over my shoulder, her eyes darting immediately to the fresh mark low on my neck. She squeals with happiness and excitement, wrapping me up in a big hug and rocking me back and forth, delighted. I burst out laughing and hug her tight to me, delighted too.

“What is it?” dad asks, and I can hear the frown in his voice.

“We’re not only celebrating a homecoming, but the addition of a son-in-law too,” mom says, laughing and turning me towards dad.

Dad goes a bit still, looking between us, his eyes moving immediately to my neck.